Electrically-operable open-at-will elevator-gate mechanism.



W. H. KIENKER, ELBQTRIOALLY OPERABLB, OPEN AT WILL, ELEVATOR GATEMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1911. 1,037,637. Patented Sept. 3, 1912.-

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W H, K' IE'N-KE R. BLEGTRIGALLY OPERABLE, OPEN 'AT'WILL, ELEVATOR GATEMEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1911. 1,037,637, Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

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cu a W. H. KIENKER.

ELBGTRIOALLY OPERABLE, OPEN AT WILL, ELEVATOR. GATE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

4 SHEETB SHBBT 3.

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W. H. KIENKER. ELEGTRIGALLY OPERABLE, OPEN AT WILL, ELEVATOR GATEMECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 2, 1911.

1,037,637. Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

V////////////AV//////////// ////////////A UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM H. KIENKER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

ELECTRICALL "-OPERABLE OPEN-AT-\VILL ELEVATOR-GATE MECHANISM.

1,037,637, I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 3, 1912,,

Apprlcation filed August, 2, 1911. Serial No. 641,888.

To all whom it may conce n.- gates, showing the car at. an intermediateBe it known that. I, WiLnnni ll. Kinniai-iu, O Fig. 3 is an enlargedperspective dea citizen of the United States, and a resident ta l of myinvention as shown in Fig. 1, of the city of Richmond, in the County ofshowing certain of the upper mechanism \Vayne and State of Indiana, haveproduced certain new and usetul Improvements in Electrically-OperableOpenat.-\Vill Elevabroken away and brought down in order that it mayappear in this view with the other mechanisms. Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetor-Gate lth-chanisins, of which the followtail view of the locking.mechanism. Fig. ing a full, clear, and comprehensive speci- 5 sdetailcross sectional view, as taken fication and exposition, being suchas will 11 l ne 5-5 of Fig. L. Fig. 6 is a detail enable others to makeand use the same with cross sectional view as taken on line 66 ofabsolute exactitude. Fig. 4c- Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of a por- Theobject of my present invention, tion of one of the latch mechanisms.Fig.

8 is a detail elevation of a portion of one of the latch mechanisms. AndFig. 9 is a dctail plan viewof one of the switches.

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views.

In order that the construction and the operation of-iny invention may bemore fully understood and appreciated I will now take up a detaildescription thereof in which I will set forth the invention as brieflyand as comprehensivelyas I may.

My present invent-ion is intended to be used in connection with anelevator-car D arranged to travel up-and-down through the shaft which isformed by openings therefor through a. plurality of floors, A, B, C, or9:, 2, 2 and 2 for instance, although there may be any number of doorsbetween which the car operates up and down.

It is to be understood that my invention is especially adapted tooperate on the intermediate gates which normally close the openings fromeach floor to the elevator shaft, as shown.

Letters .l) and F. denote the gates which close. the opening ron'i therespective floors. B and O to the elevator-shatt, as shown in Figs. 1and 3. As shown in Fig. 2 a. fourth door, if is added; and in Figs. 1and 3 a gate E is provided for the first floor. Saidgates are mounted toslide up and down in. suitable guideways formed in the sides of theopenings in any well known manner.

he elevatoncar isj provided with the. usual stationary standards in thecenter at each side thereof, as the standardd for in-' stance, which arearranged to guide the car up and down controlled by suitable guideswhich engage with the track carried by the. posts G for instance. Thecar D is adapted broadly speaking, is to provide a constructioncombining a minimum of mechanical elements into an electri allyoperable, open at will, elevator-gate mechanism, which will be strongand durable in construction, simple to eti ectuatc, positive in action,and whiclrcanbc manutactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

A more specific object is to provide a mechanical construction whichwill contain only the indispensable requisites for an electricallyoperable, open at will, elevator gate niechanisn'i whereby the gateswhich guard the various hatchways of the elcvator-shatt will remainclosed, regardless of the number oi? times the elevator-car passes upand down until such time as shall be selected by the operator of thecar, and then only providing the. door of the. car isapproximately evenwith one ot. the. [tours of the lniilding in which the eleraton -ar islocated.

Other objects and particular advantages ol my invention will be broughtout and made clear in the course oi the 'l ollowingl specification, andthat which is new and useful will be emphasized in the appended I claimswhich terminate this tlQStIlPlltlll. l

Ono manner for the construction of my im'ontion, and that which inpractice I have found to be the most. practical and economicallyotlicient, is shown in the awoinpanyingi; tour sheets of drawings, inwhich-- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the arrangement of myinvention, as applied to a building having three tloors and oneintermediate gate to which the operating mechanism applied, showing thecar at the bottom lloor. Fig. is a perspective view of my invention asapplied to a building having four floors and two intermediate to beraised and lowered in any well known manner, as by the cable H by whichit may be suspended and lifted. The pcwer for operating the elevator-caris. controlled by the small cable I, which operates at the base aroundpulley J the upper portion at which is not shown, operates over asimilar pulley one of which pulleys may act: as the power controller inthe usual manner.

Numerals l and 2 denote each a rod which are of the same length andwhich extend from near the bottom to near the top of the elevator-shaft,the same being carried by l l l l l l and adapted to slide up and downin suitable brackets 3, which latter are secured to theface of the WallK, there being apertures formed through said brackets in whi h the rodsmay slide up and down, there also being a space between the side of thecar I) and the wall K for said rods to be located without interference,as well as other de H v es which will hereinafter be fullydescil'bed.The lower ends of the rods 1 and 2 are connected rigidly together by theplate 4, and their upper ends are likewise connected by .the plates 5and 5 which are spaced apart for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Secured to the plates 5 and 5, centrally of the rods hand 2, istherack-bar (3. At.- tached to the upper end of the rack-bar (5 is the rope7, which extends directly up and then over the pulley 8 and then back toany convenient point and then over a pulley 9, and then down to thecount'erba-lanw ing weight 10. The specific gravity ot' weight 10 issuch as to normally raise the rods 1 and 2 upward to their highest pointof elevation and also the parts thereto attached.

Letter M denotes an electric motor, ot any convenient construction,adapted to revolve the shaft 11, on which latter is secured the pulleyN, the outer end of the shaft 11 being supported by the bracket 11 whichis socured to the wall K. Also secured to the wall K is the bracket 12in which is mounted the pulley 13.

Numeral 14 denotes an endless hand. or sprocket-chain which operatesover pulleys or sprockets N and 13 substantially as shown.

Numeral 15 denotes a rope, or the like, one end of which is secured inthe center ol plate 4 (Fig. 3) extending downward, with its lower endsecured to the band or chain l-l by means ol' the finger 16, asindicated.

'From the above it isv apparent that. i l the motor be opt-rated in onedirection that the hand 14 will carry the finger 1G dmvnward. moving therope l5 dowmvard, and also pulling the rods 1 and 2 downward and therebyraising the weight l After the rods 1 and 2 have been pulled down lotheir limit it will be s en that it the power he cut ofi from the motorthat the weight 10 will return the rods 1 and 2 to their upwardposition. In order that the last named movement of the chain 17 may bemore positire, that is to cause the motor to coast backward, I providethe weight 0 which is suspended by the cord P, which latter passes overpulley Q. and then down and is secured to the opposite side of the band1% from that of said finger 16. The pulley Q is carried by the bracketR, the latter being seeuredto the face; of the wall K. The weight 0causes the motor M to operate idle and rev'ersely when the electriccurrent is cut off.

A latching device is located at each intermediate floor, all being madeidentical with "ach other, and all are carried by and are slid-able upand down on the reds l and 2, certain details of which are shown inFigs. 7 and 8. All of said latching devices being alike I will describebut one in detail and refer to'like parts of the others by similarindices.

Numeral 2O denotes a yoke extending across and having two apertures inwhich may neatly slide the two rods 1 and 2. Formed integral with theyoke 20 and extending down centrally therefrom is the stem 21.

Numeral 22 denotes a plate which has a downwardly extending stem 23which is pivoted to the lower portion of the stem 21 in such manner thatthe plate 22 may swing out a limited distance (as in Fig. 1) away fromthe rods 1 and 2. Two slots c and f are "formed in the rear edge of theplate 22 to receive therein the respective rods 1 and 2. The plate 22normally swings away by gravity so that the said rods will not be insaid slots. Mounted in the frontedge of plate 22 and extending outcentrally thereof" is the roller S, which is for the purpose hereinafterset t'orth. Secured to each of the latching devices is a rope or thelike each ol which has its other end secured to one oi. the gates, asfor instance rope 24 which extends up to the ceiling above that floor,passing over pulleys Q5 and 26 and from the latter directly down to thecenter of the gate E to which it is attached, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3. Tn like manner each of the other intermediate gates is connected byits rope 2 1- to a latching device, said ropes extending over likepulleys 25 and 26. Tn order that. the rope it may have a straight pullupon its latching device it is evident that an auxiliary pulley 27 mayhe used.

Numeral 28 denotes a cam which is secured to the edge ou the. car andextends above and below the platform thereof and it. is adapted t engagethe rollers S, as the car moves up and down the shaft, thereby pressingthe plate, 22 back and causing the. rods and i to enter the slots 0 andf, as slnrwn at th right in Fig. 7.

At: properly predetermined intervals there are nuts or buttons securedon the rods 1 and 2, as for instance the nuts 0 and (I, respectively,there being a pair of said nuts for each door, the same being adapted toengage in sockets g and h which are formed in the upper face of theplate shown in Figs. 7' and 8 which are located around the innerportions of the respective slots 1 and Said engagements of coursetaking: place when the roller S is in engagement with the cam QSQatother times the plate 22 is swung out so that the nuts can not engae ein the slots thereof. As the cam 28 is carried by the edge of the car itapparent that the roller S must be so located that its contact with thecam will occur only when the floor of the car is even (or nearly so)with "one of the intermediate floors. It

0 should be noticed thatv only one of said 6*positi'0n in Fig forconvcnienco in drawlcywhich is near the power rollers S can be inengagement with the cam 28 at any one time regardless ot'the number offloors through which the car is adapted to travel.

Located near the ceiling of the upper floor, in the locality of therack-bar (3, is the locking mechanism, shown in detail in Figs. 4:, 5and 6. the same being shown as broken away and. locatedbelow its propering. Saidlocking inechanisi'n operates in connection with the rack-bar6, and it comprises a pair of brackets 30 and 31 secured to the wall K,slightly to the right of the barsl and Slidahly i'nountcd to operate"vertically-in the brat'ikets 30 and 31 isthe bar 32. Attached to theupper end of bar 32 is the rope 33 which extends up over pulley 34, thenacross near the ceiling to puh 7 controlling cabled) and then down,being secured to cable I at the point whereby the bar 32 will he movedup or down when ever the elevator is started or stopped, which isinitiated by the operation oi cable l a slight distance.

Secured to the bar 3:2 and spaced apart, and located betweenl'irat-ltets 3 and Ill, arc the two clips 36 and J-J. arried by andconnecting; the clips ill; and. '57 are the twin spaced apart, cannbarsor guides Ella and Pitt which are parallel with each other except attheir upper and lower ends where they flare apart. The upper third andthe lower third oi said bars are oll'set in th same direction (inward)whercl'iy the central third thereof s'ofi'set (outward), that. is towardthe wall K, with relation to the other two-thirds, all substantially asshown in Fig. 4.

Secured to the wall l\' is the braeit'et 40 to which is pivoted theupwardly extending arm 4i, which latter carries at its upper end thehorizontal shaft 42. livotod on shat-t. 42, in alinement with therack-=bar ti, is the 5, dog 4-3, the point thereof being adapted toengage the teeth of the rack-bar 6, the other vend of the (log beingweighted, as indicated in Fig. 4. Also carried on shaft 42 is the rollerl4 whose diameter is slightly less than is the width of the spacebetween the cam-bars 35 and 3t), between which it operates the bar 2323is mm ed up or down.

From the abore it will be apparent that il the right -hand portion ofcable I be pulled down to start the car down, for instance, that therope 3-) will he pulled in such manner as to raise the bar 32, carryingthe can1- bars 39 and 251) upward, which will cause the roller i t to belocated in the lower portion of the space between the cam-bars, therebymoving the dog away from the position where it might contact with therackbar (3. It will be apparent that it the lefthand portion of thecable I be pulled down, to start the car up, for instance, that the rope33 will be raised. allowing the bar 32, carrying the cam-bars to moredownward, which will cause the roller 44 to be located in the upperportion of the space between the canrbars, thereby moving the dog awayfrom position to contact with theraclt-hai."

6, the same as when it was in the lower space. And it. is alsoappa'rei'it that when the cable I is in normal position, that is thepcsition causing the car to be at rest, that it will. cause the roller4st to. be located in the central portion of the space between thecam-bars, thcrol'iy causing the dog to be in pos t ii to engage or to beengaged by the rack-bar 6, that when the "aclt-bar is moved down to theposition to be engaged by the dog, as that shown in Fig. 4-.

Secured to the wall. K. opposite each intcrmediatc liooi'. as the floorB for instai'ice, is a pair of contacts and 5i; and in alinementtherewith but secured on the edgi'e oi the car ll are the two shoes 52and 55 which are adapted to contact with the respective contacts ea htime the ca is even with that Secured in the standard r1. within reachof the operator of the car, is the pushbulton 45. l lxtcnding' troineach of the pole"- ot the 'nish-button is a wire. as the wires :34- and553 shown in Fig. l. The oth r ends oi said wires are connected to therespective shoes 52 and 53.

l lxtcnding in from the source oi supply is the service wire 56 which isatta hed to contact. 51, and service wire 57: extends in and is attar-lnl to one pol ol the motor hi FIX-- tending from the other pole of themotor is the wire whos other end is attached to the switch shown indetail in Fig. l). Said switch is attached to the jamb or to the wall K,and it consists essentially ot'the base 5.) having a forked pole (it) inwhich may engage the blade til, the said blade being normally retainedin engagement with the pole 60 by the spring (32, said blade beingtrical connection. Said wire '58 is connected to the pole (it). A wire(33 extends from the spring 62 to the contact 50. Secured to the upperright-hand corner of the gate 1), for instance. is a linger (it whichwhen the gate 1') is raised to a certain height will push the blade titcut of contact with the pole (it) against the resiliency of spring (32.In case there are other intermediate tloors then a pair of (Otittllir-50 and 51 are provided located opposite to each tioor as shown in theabove instance. the same being treated in position to he impinged by theshoes :32 and 53. and the wire of) ina he extended up to the contactcorre poznliug to c ntact 51 and located thercahow: while in like mannerwire (it; ma he extent ted to a switch for that floor and then to theother contact next above contact 30. and so on regardless of the numberof lloors in the building.

ln Fig. 2 the lower tloor shown is denoted by indice the next door aboveby 2". the next by 2", and the upper floor by 2", the other parts beingsubstantially the same as in the other views.

'1. he operation of my invention may be as follows: The car l) isintended to operate up I and down in the shaft. passing the varioustloors but without moving any of the intermediate gates, except at thewill of the operator. If the car be located at floor A then if theleft-hand portion of the cable I he pulled down the car will start up,and it the car be up and the right-haud portion of cable I be pulleddown then the car will start down, all of which is well known and is notpart of this invention. Now suppose that the car 1) in passing up ordown should stop at either intermediate tloor, as for instance t'loorB,the gate E of course will still remain closed even after thc carstops. But should the operator now pitess the button 45 then an electriccurrent will be establishedz-passing through wire 56 to contact 51, thento the shoe 53, then up wire 55, through button 45, then down the wire54 to the shoe 52, then to contact 50, from the latter it will passthrough the wire (33 to the spring 62, then through the blade 61 to thepole (50, then through the wire 58 to the motor M, the other poleof themotor being supplied by the wire 57, thereby completing the circuit. Assoon as said circuit is completed the current will start the motor tooperate thereby turning the band 14- and pulling the rods 1 and 2downward endwise. The car being located 'at floor B it is-cvident that;the cam 28 pressing out. on the roller S will cause the slots n and f tostride the respective rods 1 and 2, whereby as the rods are moved downas just stated the nuts on said rods will engage the plate 22 andthereby carry said plate 22 downward therewith. The rope 24 is securedto the yolte 20, which latter is rigidly connected to said plate 22, bywhich it is evident that rope Qt at that floor will be pulled with therods 1 and 2, thereby'raising the gate E. It should be noticed at thispoint that only one gate can be raised at one time, as the car must beopposite a floor in order that the cam 28 may press one of the plates 22into position to be engaged by the nuts on the rods l and 2. Continuingthe operation: It-is evident that when the gate raises to a point wherethe linger (3 t presses the blade 61 out of cantact with the pole-( 0that at that tin .he current will be broken at the latter point. andconsequently the motor will stop, and therefore the gate will stop andit will he held in its elevated position until the car is started tomove up or down, as will hereinat'ter be described.

During the time certain of the operations just described are takingplace another important operation is in process: As the cable I is movedto start the car the rope 33 connccted thereto will raise or lower thebar 32, thereby moving the dog 43 out of alinement with the rack 6. butas the cable I is moved to normal position again, to stop the car. atlloor B, for instance, the dog will he moved to operative or engagingposition, that .midway of the cam-bars 38-39, as in Fig. 4. Now as thebars 1 and 2 are moved downward, as stated, it is evident: that. therack 6 will be moved down also. the (log t3 gliding idly over thenotches of the rack, but when the circuit is broken, as stated, andthe'eurrent is cut oil from the motor then the weight 10 will tend todraw the rods 1 and 2 back to their first position, that is to theirupper limit of movement, but at this time the dog 43 will engage one ofthe notches of the rack (as in Fig. 4) thereby holding the rack 6 andconsequently holding the rods 1 and Q at their lowercd position. therebyretaining the gate I) raised, holding it raised as long as the carremains atthat tloor. -However should the operator now desire to movehis car to another floor then the first operation will be to move thecable. I, to the proper position, to start the car, which of course willmove the cam-bars 3839 up or down which manifestly will pull the dogaway from connection with the rack (i, which will allow the weight 10 topull the rack (l and the. bars 1 and 2 upward which will of course allowthe gate E to close by gravity.

From the above it is evident that l pro-- vide an open at will elevatorgate that is adapted to be opened only when the car is opposite thatfloor, all gates remaining closed at all times except when the car isopposite a certain floor at, which time the the operator.

opened will Oi? I. desire that it he fully understood that variouschanges may he made in details of construction from tl shown anddescribed without the several iat herein departing;

from the spirit of my invention or sacrificmg any ot the advantagesthereol'.

Having now fully shown and in invention and struetion and operation tome known at tliis what I claim and desire to secure Patent. ot theUnited States, 15*" time, Lett ei's deserihed the hest means tor its(any 1. In an electrically operable open at will elevator-gale mechanismcomprising lli combination an intermediate gate adapted to close theentran- 'e and a car movahle up shaft, an electric motor,

mg tlexihle connection with the to an elevator-shalt and down in said apttllf'ti t rods havmotor 1 nd extending up beyond the upper floor ofthe huilding, means for normally retaining said rods at their highestpoint, a latching de vice for each. intermediate floor and slidahle onsaid rods, a cam carried hy the car for moving the said latches intoposition to he engaged hy said rods,

means for tlexihly connecting a gate to each latcliiitig device whet-eh)the downward movement. of the rodswill raise the gate opposite to thecar,

means for holding the gate raised until the car moves from t meet by theear tor circuit to start the motor,

completing t all su as shown and descrihed and for l up an elev hattloor, and means carhe electric hstantially the pm )le open at willrising, in es adapted ator sha'l't and down of vertically disposed rodsadapted to slide up and down, means l r normally retaining highest pointol' elevation, at tor each intermediate lloor all heinn slidahhup and acam carried h the of th said rods at their latching device e huildingdown on said rods, car which presses against each of said latchessuccessively as the ar passes up and tor adapted to operate only wheopposi e one ol the lloors oltlu means carried on the car electricircuit to start the motor, for onnccliiit'j wherein when said rods arelo gale opposite the car will means for holding adapt d to opera e upand down and a gate for each intermediate l the car passes, an electrially ope a gate to each of said lat down, an ele tric mou the car ishnilding,

lor otllplcliliii the and means c ics wci'cd ilit.

he raised and the gate open until the H V as set car leaves that floor,suhslaiilia fortn.

3. ln comhination with an cl valon ar m a shal't ioor which -alile opensaid rods. each of said latches con at witl elevator-gate mechanismcomprising the vertically disposed rods extending lroni near the bottomto near the top ot the huildint: and adapted to slide up and down insuitable hraclt'et's therefor. the rods being f-Dttt'ttl apart andrigidly connected together, a \\ei;3 'ht having tlexil le connectionwith the upper portions (it said rods and adapted to normall retain saidrods upward ,to their limits, a latch mechanism for each intermediatetlcor ot the huilding each cits-aid latch mechanisuis heing slidahlvmounted on iprising in comhination a voke. a stem integral with theyoke. a plate having a downwardly extending stem which is pivoted to thelirst' named stein in such manner that the plate may swing out a limiteddistance. said plate hein provided with moved in, a roller mounted onsaid plate, a cam secured on the car and adapted to engage said rollercausing; said slots to stride said, rods, nuts secured on said rods andadapted to engage said plate when the said can is engaging said rollerand the said.i'dds are heme moved downward, anda'in'otor tor moving,said rods downward. a l'lexihle connectii n he, ween each ol saidlatches and its gate \vherehi' when said latch is carried down with saidrods the gate will he raised, a s vstem oi electric wiring adapted toform a circuit l'or starting the motor, means located on the car fort'nlllltlLilllg the circuit, means wherehv the grate when raised to acertain point. will hreak the circuit, and means for retaining the lateelevated until th car starts to leave that lloor, all suhstantiallv asset lorth.

*1. ln conihination with an elevator-car adapted to operate up and downin a shaft connecting the various floors of a building, antlttfll'l\'2lll operahle open at will elevator-gate mechanism comprisinga gate tor each intermediate lloor ol' the building, a pair of rods orthe like extending from near the upper to near the lower tloor ol" thehnildine, means for normally retaining; said rodsor the like at theirhighest, point, a latching device located near each intermedi ate lloorand all slidahle on said rods. a r pe connecting each intermediate gatewith one o! said latching devices wherehv when one ol said latch ng;devices i attached thereto will he raised. means carried h the car l orpla ing uccessivel) ea h said latching; devices in position to he rods:an clc lri moto sai'd rods wh n lhc le iin i gcd lrv said a apted tolower H ad is completed. uicans carried ii tc izililiirgj the operatorto complete .1 e electric ir nil. means for retaining the i'azo at llrilll "l l point after the ele tri ircuithas heen hrolacn. the last namedmeans ttilllprising a rack carried h the upper ends of ar f r I! A twoslots adapted to stride said rods when the plate is s lowered the gatelit) the rods, 3 dog adapted to engage said rack In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto subwhen the elevator is stationary, and means scribed myname to this specification in the whereby the dog is released from therack presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

as soon as the elevator is started, and means 1 1 for breaking theelectric circuit upon the 'VVILLIAM gate reaching a certain height, allsubstan- Witnesses:

tially as shown and described and for the R. \V. RANDLE,

purposes set forth. R. E. RANDLE.

